There’s nothing like the taste of a fresh, homemade cake to bring joy into your life!
But how many times have you had one and wished it was more special?
Maybe it’s just not possible to get a great-tasting cake from scratch all the time.
The good news is that there are plenty of recipes out there that will let you enjoy the best quality cakes without having to spend hours baking them yourself.
If you want something delicious but don’t feel like spending too much effort on it, then this article has got you covered.
We’ll show you what makes a great orange slice cake so you can recreate it easily at home.
What Is An Orange Slice Cake?
An orange slice cake is a type of sponge cake, or angel food cake, that uses oranges as its main ingredient.
This means that instead of using flour, eggs, and sugar, it relies on those three things plus water, oil, egg yolks, and citrus zest.
It also doesn’t use leavening agents such as baking powder or soda because these ingredients would alter the flavor and texture of the cake, which isn’t the intention here.
The result is a light, airy cake that is very easy to make and tastes wonderful as well.
You might be wondering why anyone would want to eat an orange sliced cake over other types of cake – especially if they’re both so similar.
Well, the answer lies in the unique combination of flavors used in this recipe.
Orange slices are incredibly sweet and juicy when eaten raw, while their flavor becomes mellower and sweeter once baked.
They work really well together with lemon juice, making the cake super tasty and filling.
What Are The Ingredients In An Orange Slice Cake Recipe?
Cakes made with oranges tend to be very sweet because they use both natural sugars as well as added sugar.
The sweetness here comes from the orange juice itself rather than anything else.
You may find some recipes call for adding more liquid or even eggs to keep the texture soft, but these aren’t necessary if you choose fruit instead.
In addition to the fruit, orange slice cakes also include flour, baking powder, salt, butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, milk, and egg yolks.
All of these things together create a rich, creamy cake that packs a punch when you bite into it.
Orange slice cake recipes typically feature a lot of citrus flavor which means lemon zest is often used alongside the oranges themselves.
You should always buy organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible.
They contain fewer pesticides and other harmful chemicals and won’t affect your health negatively by any means.
In fact, choosing organic foods helps reduce your exposure to certain toxins while increasing the nutritional value of the food you eat.
How Do You Make An Orange Slice Cake?
If you’re looking for an easy way to make an amazing cake, then this may be exactly what you need.
The secret to making this cake lies in its simplicity.
You won’t find any complicated steps here — we only use a few simple ingredients and basic techniques to create our delicious treat.
All you need to start off with is an orange juice mixture, some eggs, flour, sugar, vanilla extract, butter or oil, and salt.
Once you add these ingredients together, they’ll combine and bake until they reach the desired consistency.
Then, once they cool down, you’ll cut them up into slices and serve them to everyone who comes over.
It doesn’t matter if you eat them right away or save them for later.
They’ll stay nice and moist even after several days of sitting around waiting to be eaten.
Plus, since it’s such a simple recipe, you can customize it to suit whatever flavor and style you prefer.
Now, let’s take a look at what goes into creating an orange slice cake.
Ingredients in an orange slice cake recipe
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter (or other vegetable shortening)
- 5 large egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 orange
- Grated zest of 2 oranges
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- Salt to taste
Step by step instructions for making an orange slice cake
To begin, mix the sugar and cornstarch together in a medium bowl.
Make sure everything gets thoroughly combined before adding the rest of the ingredients.
Next, beat the eggs well using a stand mixer or blender.
Once all of the eggs are beaten, slowly pour them into the sugar/cornstarch mixture while continuing to whisk.
Mixing should go smoothly at first, but as soon as the mixture starts getting thick, you’ll notice that things become a little harder to stir.
When mixing becomes difficult, stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Continue mixing until the mixture turns yellowish brown, which means it’s ready to continue.
After mixing the batter completely, transfer it to a 9×13 inch pan.
Bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.
While the cake bakes, peel two whole oranges (if you want to) and grate their peels using the grating side of a box grater.
Next, squeeze the remaining three oranges and measure out ¾ cup of orange juice.
Combine all of these ingredients and set aside.
After the cake has cooled, prepare 4 bowls containing equal parts of the following: flour, powdered sugar, melted butter or oil, and the orange juice mixture.
In each bowl, add ½ tablespoon of the dry ingredients, followed by 3 tablespoons of the wet ingredients and finish it off with another ½ tablespoon of the dry ingredients.
Mix the ingredients in each bowl until they form doughy balls.
Place the resulting “dough” between layers of parchment paper and roll it out thin enough to fit inside of a standard 10 x 8 inch loaf pan.
Cut the dough into squares and place them inside of the prepared pan.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze the cake overnight.
When you’re ready to serve, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Uncover the cake and bake it for about 45 minutes.
What Is The History Of The Orange Slice Cake?
This tasty treat dates back quite far, as its name suggests.
In fact, it may even be older than sliced oranges themselves.
The first mention we could find in print is from 1867 when it appeared in Mrs Beeton‘s Book of Household Management.
It’s called “Orange Cake” or “Orange Slice Cake” and the ingredients include flour (plain), sugar (fine granulated), butter (soft), eggs (medium), milk (milk) and orange rind (grated).
While some people might think this sounds complicated, it isn’t really.
You only need three basic things – flour, sugar and fat (in this case butter).
All other ingredients are optional.
Some versions also call for raisins or currants and almonds.
In the late 19th century, it became a common dessert served at weddings and birthdays because it was easy to prepare and quick to bake.
Many restaurants now serve their own take on the classic orange slice cake which often includes walnuts instead of almonds.
How Did The Orange Slice Cake Become Popular?
If you think about it, an orange sliced cake doesn’t seem like such a strange idea.
Orange slices are already sweetened, so why not combine those two things together and make a cake that tastes like candy in every bite?!
Orange slice cakes started becoming popular around the 1950s when they were being served as part of dessert menus across America.
They became very popular during the 1960s with their inclusion in television shows like “I Love Lucy” and other programs.
The popularity of these desserts continued throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
Although orange slice cakes didn’t really gain mainstream appeal until the 1990s, they still remained quite popular among certain demographics.
For example, people who love Mexican food often eat orange slice cakes because they resemble tamales.
Today, orange slice cakes are still pretty common.
You can find them everywhere from bakeries to grocery stores, and even online if you know where to look.
What Are Some Variations Of The Orange Slice Cake Recipe?
In order to find the right recipe, we first need to know exactly what an orange slice cake is supposed to be.
In short, it’s a simple sponge cake with citrusy flavorings added in instead of lemon or vanilla extract.
The original recipe comes from AllRecipes.com and calls for two cups of flour, five eggs, three tablespoons of oil, one cup of sugar, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of baking powder.
You’re going to mix these ingredients together until they form a smooth batter.
Afterwards, you’ll place half of the mixture in a 9×13 inch pan and spread it evenly across the bottom.
Then, add the remaining batter on top of it before spreading it as well.
Finally, bake it in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes.
This process should yield a dense cake with a fluffy texture inside.
And if you’ve ever tasted the real thing, you know why people love this type of cake!
If you really want to make sure your cake tastes authentic though, you may want to try substituting the standard orange juice for freshly squeezed orange juice.
A similar substitution could also work with other citrus fruits such as grapefruit and tangerines.
To learn about some other interesting ways to improve your orange slice cake recipe, keep reading below!
What Are Some Tips For Making The Perfect Orange Slice Cake?
For starters, you should make sure you use oranges that are in season because they tend to be sweeter and juicier than other varieties of fruit.
You also need to pick oranges that aren’t bruised or discolored.
You want to avoid using ones that are wrinkled or soft, as these could affect the color and texture of your finished product.
When it comes to choosing ingredients, you should always start off by buying organic whenever possible.
Organic ingredients won’t contain pesticides, which means you can be assured that everything inside your food will be free of harmful chemicals.
Next, choose eggs that come from cage-free chickens, as these are considered healthier than those raised in conventional cages.
You may find that eggs labeled “organic” contain higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids, which offer health benefits such as reducing inflammation and improving brain function.
Finally, try to buy meat, dairy, and produce that are local if you can.
These items will help keep your body healthy while supporting small businesses in your community.
How Do You Know When An Orange Slice Cake Is Done?
You should always be cautious about cooking anything in large quantities because it involves a lot of heat and potentially dangerous ingredients.
The same goes for baking cakes; if you leave them unattended while they bake, it could lead to disaster.
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try new things or experiment with different recipes, though! There are several ways to tell when an orange slice cake is ready to eat.
Some methods involve visual cues, such as looking for cracks appearing on the surface, while others require testing specific factors such as temperature and moisture levels.
Here we explain exactly which signs to look out for during the process so you can avoid burning yourself!
1. Look For Cracks On Top Of Orange Cake
If you see small cracks forming on top of your cake, especially near where you cut it, then the cake is probably finished baking.
You may also notice steam coming off the sides of the pan after it’s been removed from its oven.
These two indicators indicate that the cake is cooked through.
2. Check Moisture Levels Inside And Outside Cakes
After removing your cake from the oven, check both inside and outside layers.
If the cake feels dry and crumbly right away, then it needs more time in the oven.
Conversely, if the cake seems wet and sticky, then it might need less time in the oven.
After checking these two aspects of the cake, put it back in the oven until it reaches the desired temperature before serving.
3. Test Temperature Of Your Oven
To ensure that your cake bakes properly, test the temperature of your oven using a thermometer.
Insert it into the center of the cake and set the timer for 5 minutes.
When the timer finishes, remove the thermometer and insert it again into the middle of the cake to measure the temperature.
You can use this method multiple times throughout the baking period to find the ideal temperature range.
4. Use A Digital Thermometer To Find The Best Time Range
A digital thermometer is a better way than relying solely on your eyes to determine the correct time range for baking an orange slice cake.
As mentioned above, inserting the thermometer repeatedly into the center of the cake helps you find the ideal temperature for baking it.
Once you’ve found the proper time range, keep the thermometer nearby whenever you cook your cake.
What Are Some Common Mistakes People Make When Making An Orange Slice Cake?
No matter which type of cake you choose to bake, there are always going to be certain things you need to pay attention to in order to ensure success.
And while we wouldn’t necessarily call these “mistakes,” they’re simple things you should keep in mind if you want to create the best orange slice cake ever.
When baking a cake, especially a fluffy white or yellow buttercream frosted cake, you must take extra care to prevent overmixing.
You’ve heard of overmixing before, right? Well, it basically means turning the batter into a smooth paste, losing its texture and structure as a result.
Overmixing also leads to a dry cake.
If you aren’t careful about mixing ingredients together properly, you could end up with a dense, rubbery sponge instead of a light and airy cake.
The same goes for adding too much flour to an already moist mixture – you might end up with a heavy, dense cake rather than a soft, delicate one.
It’s important to use room temperature eggs because cold ones tend to cook quicker.
Cold eggs won’t fully mix with other ingredients during the beating process, resulting in a denser cake.
Also remember to add vanilla extract along with the water.
Not only does vanilla help create flavor, but it helps the egg proteins coagulate better and gives off a creamy consistency.
You may also experience problems with uneven coloration after pouring the batter into the pan.
To avoid this problem, pour the batter slowly and evenly across the entire surface of the pan.
Using either a springform or loose bottom cake tin is recommended.
These types of tins allow you to remove the cake once it’s baked, unlike a regular round cake tin where you would have to cut around the edges first to release it.
Another alternative is using a tube pan, which allows you to insert long skewers through the center of the cake to lift it out later.
Another mistake people often make when baking a cake is cutting the cake layers too thin.
When trying to achieve a crumbly texture, you shouldn’t go below 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) layer thickness.
Thicker layers mean that the cake will hold onto moisture longer, preventing it from drying out prematurely.
Also, try not to stack two thick layers on top of each other.
Doing so will lead to a very flat cake, so make sure to stagger the layers slightly.
What Are Some Serve An Orange Slice Cake With?
It doesn’t matter who you serve this cake to, as long as they love the flavor!
You could even eat it right away if you wanted to – or save it until later in the day to allow it to sit longer before serving.
Either way, it tastes amazing!
Equipment
- The Oven
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 pound dates chopped
- 1 pound orange slice candies chopped
- 2 cups pecans chopped
- 1 1/4 cups flaked coconut
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour one 10 inch tube pan.
- Cream margarine and sugar until smooth in a mixing basin. One at a time, beat well after each addition of an egg. Add the buttermilk-dissolved baking soda to the whipped mixture.
- Dates, orange slices, and nuts should all be added to a big basin of flour. To coat each piece, stir. To the creamed mixture, add the flour mixture and coconut. This results in a very firm dough, thus a wooden spoon will be needed to stir.
- In the tube pan, pour the batter. 2 1/2 to 3 hours for baking Orange juice and confectioners’ sugar should be combined and poured over hot cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Overnight stand in pan.
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My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.